Long, Long Way From Home
by Femanonymous
Summary: It was no surprise when a letter slipped through the mail slot on Dean's 11th birthday. Full Summary inside, will raise rating when necessary.
1. Prologue

_Author's Note: I've been thinking about doing this for a while and I'm finally getting around to it! I've drawn inspiration from the HP movies and books, Supernatural as a whole and the art by There won't be any pairings until a little later on. Also, I'm shit at summaries._

**Summary:** Dean and Sam Winchester are brothers descended from a respected wizarding family and a muggle-born Auror. It's no surprise when Dean gets his letter, and a year later Sam gets his. There's something about the brothers that has dark wizards and witches all over the nation stirring, but few have any idea what it is. Their journey through Hogwarts starts steady but they're soon caught up in a whirlwind of danger. Rated T for mature themes and bad language.

**Pairings:** Sam/Ruby, Bobby/Crowley, eventual Dean/Cas

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><p><strong>Prologue:<strong>

**1983**

The kids were already tucked in and Mary hadn't been asleep long when John left the house. He's been summoned by the Ministry on an emergency call. There'd been a sudden spike in the activity of dark wizards and they needed all hands on deck immediately. He didn't feel very comfortable leaving his family at such a time, but he knew he'd be more useful elsewhere. At least he thought so at the time. What he wasn't aware of was that his family has been found.

He didn't know why they were after his sons, but since they'd been born, the two had drawn a lot more attention than anyone had expected. They were widely rumoured to have great potential, however right now there were helpless and vulnerable. Mary was a talented witch, but there was only so much she'd be able to do on her own.

A slight noise, just a tiny popping sound, was what woke Mary Winchester that night. Her intuition was what drew her out of bed and into the nursery. She hadn't seen or heard John leave, so when she walked into the room, she assumed the dark figure standing by the crib was her husband.

"John?" she called out to him sleepily. "Is something wrong?"

The figure hushed her, and she was about to climb back into bed when she spotted a note on the John's pillow.

_Got a call from the Ministry. _

_Be__ back by morning._

_Love you,_

_John xoxox_

Without a moment's hesitation, she grabbed her wand from the bedside table and rushed back to the nursery. Holding it out, she shouted at the figure still standing over her younger son, Sam.

"Step away from him," she tried to keep her voice steady, but it wavered slightly. The dark figure turned and she jolted back at the sight of his eyes. "You…"

She shot a curse his way but it was easily deflected. A red blast sent her wand flying out of her hand. She found herself pinned to the wall by an unseen force and her feet began to leave the floor as her assailant levitated her off the ground.

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><p>Happy to have been let off early, John returned just in time to hear his wife's screams. He couldn't run fast enough to get to the nursery. When he entered the nursery, fire erupted above him, engulfing the ceiling and the woman pinned there; his wife.<p>

The figure at fault was there for only a moment longer, grinning with amusement at John's distressed shouts. The Auror got only a quick glance at the man's unusual eyes before he vanished with a quiet _pop._

There was nothing he could do for his wife, burning and bleeding on the ceiling above him. Instead, he grabbed Sam out of his crib and went to get Dean.

With both his sons held close against his racing heart, he looked back to see the windows of the nursery burst from the heat. The fire began to consume more of his home, and there was little he could do but hold his sons and hope help would arrive soon.

He felt ill as soon as others arrived to help, both wizard and muggle. His wife was in that fire. She was gone now and there was nothing he could do. He didn't even try.

That night he swore revenge. The wizard with the yellow eyes; He would find him no matter what it took.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Short, I know. But I'm keeping the chapters short for easier reading. Hope you don't mind.<em>


	2. Every Road Starts Somewhere

_Author's Note: And so the story really begins. _

**Summary:** Dean and Sam Winchester are brothers descended from a respected wizarding family and a muggle-born Auror. It's no surprise when Dean gets his letter, and a year later Sam gets his. There's something about the brothers that has dark wizards and witches all over the nation stirring, but few have any idea what it is. Their journey through Hogwarts starts steady but they're soon caught up in a whirlwind of danger. Rated T for mature themes and bad language.

**Pairings:** Sam/Ruby, Bobby/Crowley, eventual Dean/Cas

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter One <strong>

It was no surprise when a letter slipped through the mail slot on Dean's 11th birthday. Coming from a long line of witches and wizards on his mother's side and a muggle-born Auror father, they'd long been expecting it. Dean had always been a trouble-maker, and both he and his younger brother had shown signs of magical ability since birth.

They'd also drawn more attention than anyone expected. It was what got their mother killed, though John kept this a secret from the boys. He raised them to protect themselves and each other, but still tried to let them live a normal life.

Dean was nearly insufferable in the long wait between the arrival of his letter and the trip to Diagon Alley. He'd been there before with his father, but this time would be different. He'd been hearing about Hogwarts as long as he could remember but his time was finally here.

The trip was full of excitement for both the brothers, who'd been looking forward to this for years. John fought his way through hundreds of questions as they gathered supplies for Dean's first year.

"No Dean, you can't get a broom yet."

"Dogs aren't permitted at Hogwarts, Sam."

"We can't afford that, boys, and you don't need it."

By the time they reached Ollivander's, John was exhausted and Sam was pouting about having to wait another year.

It didn't take long until Dean found the right one. A few lights and vases were shattered in the process of finding it, but the moment he took hold of that cypress wand with a dragon core, the room lit up like the sun. When the light faded, Dean grinned up at his father, who looked back with pride.

The farewell at the train station was short and Dean spent most of his time with his younger brother clinging to him. They had never been apart for very long and it was difficult to separate them when the final boarding call was announced. Dean would never admit to how hard it was for him not to cry as he boarded the train. He waved out the window to Sam and John until he couldn't see the station anymore.

He wandered through the train for a while, trying to find an open compartment. A half hour into the trip, he found one near the end of the train with two other boys in it. One was small with short dark hair and bright blue eyes. Judging by his robes and general size, he was also a first year. The loud boy sitting across from him was wearing Gryffindor robes. Dean recognized them from the pictures of his father's schooldays that they hadn't lost in the fire. The boy appeared to be at least a year older, with golden brown hair and eyes to match.

Opening the door to the compartment, Dean popped his head in and grinned at the two occupants. "Hey," he began rather awkwardly. "Mind if join you? Everywhere else is full."

"Sure," the older boy replied simply, waving him in. Dean took the empty seat beside the dark haired boy.

"Name's Gabriel Ryder, but you can call me Gabe," the Gryffindor introduced himself. "Mr. Shy over there is Cas Singer."

"Dean," the Winchester said, and Gabe gave a nod of greeting. "What year are you, anyway?"

"Third," Gabriel replied. "Helping little Cassie get his bearings."

Dean glances at the Cas, smiling at the quiet boy who shyly returned his gaze to the racing scenery outside the window.

"Are you two brothers?" Dean wondered aloud.

"Nope. Cousins; our mothers were sisters."

Dean nodded. "My brother's gonna be here next year. He tried his best to stow away on the train though."

The next few hours were spent discussing family, what to expect at Hogwarts, and various Quidditch tournaments around the globe. Cas remained very quiet, occasionally watching Dean with a curious expression. He always looked away as soon as Dean looked back though. The Winchester was beginning to wonder if perhaps the kid was mute.

When the trolley came by after a few hours, Gabriel unloaded half of it onto the seat beside him. He did share, but managed to eat most of it himself. Dean was left wondering how the older boy wasn't 21 stone._*_

It was late evening when the train finally pulled into the station. Gabe slid a few ice cubes that he's conjured up down his cousin's shirt, causing him to wake with an undignified yelp.

Once they were all off the train, Gabe bid them farewell as he went off with the rest of the third years. Cas and Dean stuck together as they were lead to the boats, the former finally speaking as they floated across the lake.

"I don't know what I should do," Cas admitted, his voice as quiet as, but far more mature than, Dean had been expecting.

"Well you just follow everyone else in and get sorted—"

"I know that," Cas cut in, his tone a bit defensive. "But my dad is Gryffindor Head of House. If I don't get into Gryffindor, he might be disappointed."

Dean paused for a moment, letting this new information sink in. Then he smiled. "I don't know the guy, but I'm sure he'll be proud no matter what."

Cas nodded just slightly, seemingly satisfied by Dean's answer.

The walk into the Great Hall was as silent as ever, but when they walked past Gabe, he gave them a sly wink. Both the boys smiled, proceeding a bit more confidently.

Professor Harvelle, the one who'd lead them into the Hall, stood at the front beside a stool. On it sat the famed sorting hat, and looking at it sent shivers of excitement and anxiety shooting through the gathered children. Dean wasn't even listening to the rest of the goings on until students started being called up.

Two girls among the first called up were both sorted into Hufflepuff, a house Dean wasn't quite as familiar with. Sarah and Rachel were their names if he remembered correctly. One by one, each first year was called up, and the sorting hat shouted out which house they belonged in. The crowd was thinning by the time an overly excitable girl named Becky Rosen was sorted into Ravenclaw. Dean thought his eardrums might pop from the scream of joy she let out.

Once she ran off to take her seat, Professor Harvelle checked her scroll again and called out, "Singer, Castiel."

Cas froze up for a second before Dean shoved him towards the stage. Shaky legs brought him to the stool. Dean thought he looked rather ill when he sat down and the hat was placed on his head.

There was quite a long pause in which, Dean guessed, the hat and Cas were deliberating in his mind. After a while, the girl beside Dean muttered something about him being a "hatstall." The hall was beginning to get fidgety and Cas was looking increasingly pale by the time the hat finally shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF."

Both Dean and Cas immediately looked to the man who'd earlier been introduced as Head of Gryffindor: Professor Singer. He was on his feet, smiling and applauding. Dean wondered if the man was perhaps going to cry. The grin that broke out on Castiel's face was beyond relief. He ran to the Hufflepuff table, taking a seat beside the girl name Rachel, who shook his hand and started talking hurriedly to him.

Bela Talbot, the girl beside Dean, was called up and sorted into Slytherin. Dean ended up being the very last to be sorted.

He curses his last name being what it was as the hat was set on his head. Almost immediately he heard the Sorting Hat's voice ringing in his mind.

"Another tricky one, eh?" it mused, searching Dean's mind and trying to figure him out. "The reckless bravery of a Gryffindor with the raw ambition of a Slytherin. You'll certainly accomplish great things either way."

Cas' words on the boat suddenly ran through his head, and he thought of his own father. What would he think if Dean were to be Slytherin? He wanted to be Gryffindor, like his Dad had been before him.

Nearly the second he came to realise this, the hat above him shouted out, "GRYFFINDOR!" and the table adorned in red exploded in applause. He was quite sure he could hear Gabriel's voice whooping and hollering above the rest.

He quickly joined the other new Gryffindors at the near end of the table, but it didn't take long for the third year to sidle up beside him.

"I had a feeling, y'know?" Gabe told him, a stick from a lollipop hanging from his lips.

Dean ate far more than he thought possible at the feast, which made him feel rather sick as he travelled up to the Common Room that night. Gabe teased him and poked his stuffed belly a few times.

The excitement he felt that night kept him awake for hours. He simply stared at his scarf and tie set out on the chair beside him. He was here. He was finally at Hogwarts. He couldn't wait to write to Sam.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note:<em>

_*21 stone equals about 300 lbs._


	3. Didn't Even Say Goodbye

_Author's Note: Time skip going on here. Another short chapter, but by Chapter 4 they're getting longer. Bear with me! 3_

* * *

><p>Dean's first year was rather uneventful. Aside from cheering Gabriel on in Quidditch, some melted cauldrons, more detentions that most students would have in their entire school career and a few threats of expulsion. Gabe kept dragging Dean and Cas into far more trouble than either of them wanted, but they quickly became accustomed to it. Cas even seemed to enjoy their late night adventure into the Forbidden Forest, despite the Wendigo that chased them out and the month's worth of detention they received when Professor Crowley caught them.<p>

Castiel's father, who seemed a bit familiar to Dean, seemed almost proud of his son's endeavours. Crowley probably would've sent the three of them packing long ago if he didn't have such a soft spot for Professor Singer and everything to do with him. Ravenclaw's Becky Rosen, resident crazed fangirl, practically lived off the rumours they were lovers.

Speaking of Ravenclaw, they won the house cup that year. Gabriel accepted blame for Gryffindor being in dead last. Most of the lost points were his fault after all.

Dean spent the summer telling Sam everything he didn't in the myriad of letters he'd sent over the year. He, Cas and Gabe wrote to each other regularly. When Sam's letter arrived, John wasn't sure which of his sons was more excited.

Despite their begging to go right away, John was too busy to take them to Diagon Alley that day. It would've been too long of a trip and most places would be closed by the time they got there. Besides, he had business to attend to elsewhere. Followers of a dark wizard presumed to be dead had been stirring recently. Being an Auror, he had to look into it.

Sam and Dean spent the day discussing wands and cauldrons, Dean teaching his brother a few incantations for spells that wouldn't actually do anything.

"Just hope you don't melt as many cauldrons as Gabe did in his first year," Dean told his brother, laughter in his voice. "I mean, I'm not a genius in potions, but he was flat out useless."

The younger of the brothers was excited about the idea of a pet. Dean hadn't bothered with one, but Sam wanted his own owl pretty badly. The older Winchester told him a few stories of Cas' shaky old owl who spent more time caught in trees and bushes than he did flying. Each story made Sam more excited, and his brother wasn't sure if he'd ever get to sleep.

That night however, with the promise of Diagon Alley in the morning, an urgent message arrived in the form of a small, nervous-looking witch on their doorstep.

"John," she said quickly, hurrying in the moment he opened the door. "You and the boys, you have to go. Now!"

Dean and Sam were watching nervously from the top of the stairs as their father tried to calm her.

"Kate, just calm down," he murmured to her. "What going on?"

"All over the country," she began, "Death Eaters are on the move. All of them, they're coming here."

"There are protection charms all over this town, they can't—"

"It doesn't matter. They'll find a way in. Please, just go. Get as far away as you can."

The brothers didn't hear anything more. Dean dragged Sam to their shared room and pulled out their trunks.

"Everything you're taking to Hogwarts, get it in there," he ordered before going to work packing his own things.

By the time John came to their room, they were already packed. Dean had his wand held tight in his hand, ready to hex the first thing that tried to touch him or his brother.

"Good," John muttered, half to himself, before waving Kate into the room. "Take them to Bobby's. They'll be safe there."

"What about you?" She sounded frantic.

"I'll be right behind you," he assured her, but Dean knew a lie when he saw one. Even so, he grabbed his stuff and Sam's hand as he readied to leave. He wouldn't be any good to Sam or his dad if he caused a fuss now.

Next thing he knew, Kate was gripping his shoulder and he had the sudden sensation of being squeezed through a very small tube. The sensation was nauseating, but he made sure to keep a tight grip on Sam's hand, not willing to let go despite his brother's frightened attempt to pull away. Dean had never apparated before and he wasn't in a rush to any time soon after this. It felt a lot longer than it actually was, but when he opened his eyes again, he was standing in front of a rather shabby-looking old place. He noticed a sign beside the door that read "The Singer's" and the realisation came with excitement. _Cas' house!_

"Wait… So Bobby is—"

"Professor Robert Singer," Kate interrupted hastily. "Yes."

She ushered them to the door while Dean excitedly told Sam he'd be meeting Castiel. Kate knocked with an odd sort of rhythm and footsteps sounded on the other side of the door almost immediately. The door swung open and there stood Professor Singer looking remarkably like a Muggle. Plaid shirt, faded old jeans and a trucker's cap, he looked nothing like the head of House Dean was used to.

Kate didn't even need to explain; Bobby— er, Professor Singer – was waving them in. "I heard," he told her in his usual gruff tone. "You're welcome to stay too."

She shook her head. "I'm going back, I don't trust him alone."

Before the Professor could say anything else, Kate vanished with a quiet _pop_. He sighed before turning to face the boys. "There's an extra room upstairs, beside Cas'. Drop your stuff in there, I'll make some tea."

The brother obeyed without a word, both rather shaken by the night's happenings and worry for their father. Neither of them could make sense of it all and, in his wonderings, Dean was caught completely off-guard when a pair of arms were thrown around him.

Cas, who seemed to have overheard everything, was standing pressed against him, with his arms looped tightly around his shoulders. Dean was sure the skipped beat of his heart was due to shock. After a brief moment of surprise, he awkwardly returned the embrace. Cas quickly pulled away, as shy as ever and grabbed one of Sam's bags. The two friends exchanged awkward greetings as they carried the bag into the spare room.

The third boy excused himself to go talk to his father, and the moment the brothers were alone, Sam spoke up. He'd been quiet all this time, but Dean knew how scared he was.

"Dad said he'd be right behind us," Sam said, looking up at Dean with bloodshot eyes. "But he's not coming, is he?"

Dean's strained silence was answer enough, and the younger Winchester quickly ran to the room's bed and hid his face in the fluffy fabric of the pillow. They were used to their dad going away for business, but they always knew he was coming home. This time was different.

He knew there was nothing he could say to Sam at that moment, so instead he left his brother alone to sleep, although he wasn't sure either of them were capable of it that night.

Cas and Professor Singer were waiting in a room that seemed to double as an office and a sitting room. There were books scattered everywhere, stacked high on every bookshelf and overflowing onto the floor. A desk and a couple of dusty armchairs were placed around the room, but getting to them involved navigating the small maze of books.

Once he made it to the unoccupied seat, his Head of House silently handed him a large mug of tea.

"I'm sure your dad's fine," Castiel offered, and Dean made an honest attempt at a smile. He hoped his friend was right, but he knew better. Fact was he probably wouldn't see his dad again until at least Christmas holidays. That is, if he ever saw him again.

"Thing is… I didn't even say goodbye."


	4. There's a Bad Moon on the Rise

_Author's Note: I've got my sister beta-ing for me, so hopefully it will be ten trillion times better. So here's the third chapter, enjoy~_

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><p>Quite a bit of mail flew in the kitchen window the next morning at breakfast. The Daily Prophet had a report on several attacks by Death Eaters across Britain. There was no word on John or the witch who'd gone back to help him, only an envelope containing the keys to Sam and Dean's Gringott's Vaults. He didn't say it, but Dean knew Sam took this as confirmation that he was gone. Dean did too. Despite that, Dean was glad to see his brother still getting excited as they were preparing to depart for Diagon Alley.<p>

As they were dressing, Sam pulled out a small wrapped package from his trunk and approached his brother silently. Dean raised an eyebrow and was about to ask what it was when Sam chimed in.

"This came in the mail one day when Dad was out," he explained, his eyes focused on it. "It said it was for him, but I forgot to give it to him. I think… Maybe it should be yours since…" He trailed off after that and simply handed the package over to Dean.

The older brother opened it with fervour, dropping the wrapping paper around the necklace he was now holding to the floor. The pendant was a strange looking mask, made presumably of gold, and dangled from a simple leather chord.

"You sure?" Dean asked, only quickly glancing away from the object. Sam just nodded, not wanting to speak what was on his mind. "Thanks, Sam. I… I love it."

Sam smiled, and it was a welcome expression to see on his brother's face. Dean quickly put the necklace around his neck and told Sam to hurry and get dressed. They had a long drive ahead of them.

"You all got your lists?" Professor Singer questioned the three boys as they descended the stairs.

"Yeah," Dean replied. "Sammy's using my textbooks from last year."

Dean was glad now that he'd taken good care of his textbooks. They needed to be careful with whatever money they had left. Who knew what they would do once they ran out.

The books Dean and Cas needed for their second year were easy enough to find in Flourish and Blotts, and Professor Singer took them all back to the car with Castiel while Sam and Dean went to get the rest of the younger Brother's supplies.

Dean kept an eye out for Gabriel but never caught sight of him. As the brothers passed the Quidditch shop, he gave it a longing look. He's wanted to try out for the Quidditch team this year, but there was no way he wanted to use one of the school's brooms. He knew they were generally good for nothing. He knew he could afford one, but it was another case of not knowing where their money would come from once they'd spent what they had. It wasn't in Dean's personality to be so responsible, but he had to look out for Sam.

It was getting difficult for the two boys to carry all their supplies by the time they reached Ollivander's. The shop was eerily empty as always, if you didn't count wands stacked high on every shelf and against every wall. Dean just thought it strange how there never seemed to be more than one customer at once.

The famed wandmaker seemed to be waiting for them when they walked through the door. Looming behind the counter, Dean thought it seemed like he hadn't moved an inch since the last time he'd seen him.

"I was wondering if I'd see you boys today," he told them, his voice cracked with age – more so than it had been the previous year. It was the only thing that had seemed to change. "I'm sorry to hear about what happened."

Over the day, they'd discovered that, despite the Prophet not reporting it, everyone seemed to be aware of John's disappearance, so Ollivander's words didn't surprise them in the slightest. John was well known, after all.

Dean simply gave a grim smile and they spoke no more of it.

The first wand Sam tried, one make of vine and Unicorn hair, resulted in a good chunk of boxes shooting off a shelf in the back. Ollivander replaced it with a Cedar and Phoenix Feather, but it only started a fire that took a good stomping to snuff out. Sam apologized profusely, bright red in the face. The old wizard assured him worse had happened in the past.

The younger of the Winchesters took nearly twice as long to find his wand compared to his brother. Each wand he tried ended with similarly disastrous results. Dean could tell Sam was getting upset by the look on his face.

Ollivander had wandered far into the back, muttering to himself. When he returned with another wand box, he had a look of concern on his wrinkled face. Dean assumed it was because he'd been having so much trouble finding the right wand.

"Dragon core, like your brother's," Ollivander explained. "Yew, though. 11 and a half inches, nice and pliant."

Sam took the wand nervously, taking a hesitant moment before giving it a curt wave. With a bright glow, all the damage caused by the other wands instantly repaired itself; misplaced wand boxes found their place on the shelves once more and a strong blast of wind seemed to encompass only Sam. The whole place seemed cleaner than it had been when they'd walked in, too. The boys were grinning, but Dean noticed Ollivander looked even more troubled.

They paid for the wand and Sam took off to find Cas and Bobby. Dean went to follow him, but a firm hand kept him in place. He looked over his shoulder, eyes settling on the aged wandmaker.

"Mr. Ollivander?" Dean prompted, confusion in his eyes.

"That wand has a twin, Dean," Ollivander replied, looking at the door Sam had just run out of. There was a tense pause before the aged wizard leaned in to speak quietly in the Winchester's ear. "You watch that boy. One day you may need to stop him. Do whatever it takes to save him from himself."

With that, he turned and vanished into the maze of the back of his shop.

"W-wait!" Dean called after him. "Who has the other wand?"

The man didn't reappear, but his voice sounded clearly from the back.

"A very dark man. One of the darkest, most twisted wizards of our era."

* * *

><p>"What took you so long?" Sam asked, waiting a few metres from the door for his brother. He'd stopped when he'd noticed his brother wasn't with him.<p>

Dean feigned an amused grin, poking his brother in the chest as he caught up. "Just asking why you were so useless finding your wand."

Sam pouted and the two brothers walked off down the street. They were nearing the exit to the alley when a thought struck Dean.

Eeylop's Owl Emporium stood to his left, and Sam's talk of getting his own owl came back to him.

"Hey, Sammy," Dean called out to his brother, a few steps ahead of him. "C'mere."

Sam's alarmed protests as he was dragged into the shop were ignored by his older brother. The owls were expensive, but Dean figured the money saved from reusing his old textbooks would account for this pretty well.

Looking down at his wide-eyed brother, he grinned brightly. "Which one do you want?"

Sam didn't take any more convincing, and he bolted off through the shop, looking at the loud animals set around the shop. Dean waited by the door, watching the younger Winchester.

_This is Sam we're talking about,_ he thought to himself, frowning. _There's not a spot of darkness in him…_

The excitable boy had stopped in front of a particular cage, beaming at a snowy owl that was squawking back at him. Sam was waving Dean over a moment later, and the older Winchester knew he'd found the one he wanted.

"What are you gonna name it?"

"Well it's a girl…"

"How can you tell?" Dean questioned, wondering when his brother developed the ability to tell the gender of birds.

Sam gave Dean an exasperated look and pointed to the sign underneath the bird's cage. _Snowy Owl, female._

Dean laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh… Right."

"I was thinking maybe Zola, like Emile Zola," Sam mused, wiggling his finger through the bars of the cage. "He was a French author—"

"Dude, no," Dean sighed. "No history lesson. And she should have a sexy name… Like Valkyrie or something."

Sam frowned, pondering his brother's suggestion. "That wouldn't be so bad…"

"Well we can figure it out on the way back. Let's get her."

Sam was bursting with excitement by the time they got back to the car. He couldn't stop going on about his wand and owl to Cas and Professor Singer. Dean decided to keep what Ollivander told him to himself. The mood in the car ride back was much brighter than it had been on the way there, and Dean wasn't too enthused to ruin it.

Sam kept playing with his wand, and Dean couldn't help but regard it with anxious glares. Luckily no one noticed.

The next morning was a rush to get to the station. Shoving everything into the rusty, bewitched Chevelle wasn't as tough as Dean figured it would be. The trunk was deceptively big, and left him wandering if it was perhaps enchanted.

Something else Dean made envious note of was a sleek black broom with shining chrome details and "'67 Impala" carved neatly into the wood near one end. He could've sworn he remembered his dad talking about having a broom like that.

Traffic was bad and rain was bucketing down, making the drive to the station that much more difficult. By the time they arrived, barely a minute was left to board the train. Tearing through the luckily quiet station, Sam and Bobby ran through to the platform immediately. Dean and Cas were a bit further behind, their things having been at the bottom of the car's trunk.

"Come on, Cas!" Dean called after him. "We gotta make it!"

As Cas was running through, he glanced back just in time to see a man in a dark cloak swoop in behind Dean. He tried to skid to a halt and warn his friend, but his momentum had already carried him through the barrier before he could say anything. Dean's trolley followed him through soon after but the boy who'd been pushing it didn't come though.

Dean was gone.


	5. Close Encounters

Cas was immediately against the wall, trying to get back through.

"Dean!" he yelled desperately, pounding on the brick wall.

His father was back to him soon enough, pulling Cas away from the wall and getting him to explain what happened. He did, and his father ordered him to get to the train.

"Take Dean's stuff with you," Professor Singer continued. "Keep Sam close."

Cas wanted to argue, but he knew there was nothing else he could do to help Dean. He grabbed their trolleys, telling Sam to get on the train. The younger Winchester kept asking questions and demanding to go back for his brother, so as soon as all their luggage was loaded on, Cas took hold of the front of Sam's shirt and half-dragged him onto the train.

"Dad will take care of it," he insisted, embarrassed by the stares of other students.

"I'm not going without him!" Sam shouted, trying to push past Castiel. Cas stood in his place, and eventually the train rumbled into action, the horn sounding as it pulled away from the station. The Hufflepuff was worried for his father and friend. He prayed the two would somehow make it to the school in time for dinner.

On the other side of the wall, Dean had his own worries. He saw his trolley slide through the barrier, but there was a hand gripping the back of his shirt and holding him back. The amulet Sam had given him was burning against his skin, and Dean was struggling before he even knew what he was doing.

He ditched his sweater and managed to escape the stranger's grasp. He turned to get a look at his assailant and a chill ran through him. The man was tall, pale and dressed in dark robes. Curiously enough, the Muggles wandering past seemed to take no notice. What struck Dean most however, were the man's eyes. Bright yellow irises, much wider than normal and no pupil to speak of. The yellow colouration itself seemed cloudy, like they were filled a swirling mist. John had warned him about a man with yellow eyes. He told him that if he ever saw someone like that, to run as fast and as far away as he could.

"Hello, Dean," the man began, but if he spoke again, the young wizard didn't hear. He was running as fast as he could, back out of the station.

_Get to the car, _he thought. _Get to the car!_

He didn't dare look back; he knew it would only screw him up. The minute the rusty old Chevelle came into view, the image of the broom in the trunk flashed into his mind. He knew he could fly, pretty damn well too, if flying classes with Professor Finnerman were anything to go by. What he'd once he got into the air was still a mystery.

He ran straight into the back of it, pulling the hatch open as fast as he could. Luckily the lock on it hadn't worked in years. Sitting at the mysteriously low bottom of the trunk, there it was. The black and silver broomstick he'd been eyeing so enviously.

The second he mounted the broom, it took off high into the air. The young wizard shouted in alarm, his knuckles white from the grip he had on the perfectly sleek handle.

He took only a moment to look down, seeing the yellow eyed man watching him with that same grin, before he flew off, heading in the direction he knew the train was going. A scarlet steam engine couldn't be too hard to spot.

By the time Professor Singer reached his car, the yellow-eyed man was gone, as was Dean and the broom. Several baffled Muggles were talking hurriedly about a boy who appeared to fly and a strange vanishing man.

Bobby sighed in relief. If they were right, Dean was alive and arguably safe. Now he just had a school to get to.

* * *

><p>It took Dean a good hour or two before he finally found the train. He was freezing and exhausted, so seeing the column of smoke rising was as welcome as a warm bed at that point. The relief was short-lived however. Now he had the problem of trying to board the train. He wouldn't be able to fit through the window; he had to get through a door somehow.<p>

Steering the broom towards the scarlet train, he grinned at all the staring faces in the train windows. He needed to find Cas, Sam, or Gabe. He wouldn't be able to get a door open on his own. Eventually he spotted an open window with a head poking out of it. He'd recognize that shaggy mess of hair anywhere.

"Sammy!" he shouted, pulling up beside and doing his best to keep pace with the steam engine. "I need you to open a door!"

Sam shouted something back, but he couldn't hear it over the sound of wind blasting in his ears. Apparently they'd heard him though, as both Sam and Cas leapt towards the compartment door and down the hall. Dean pulled away from the train and struggled to the nearest door. It only took a moment for Cas to break through the locking enchantments on it and yank it open.

The oldest Winchester gave them a nod before veering off. He had to get this approach right or he's have a nasty fall ahead of him. Several feet away, he aimed for where he figured the opening would be when he collided. He took a deep breath before leaning forward, the broom shooting onward. The red engine was rushing toward him at a heart-stopping speed, and every instinct told him to shut his eyes. He resisted until the very last moment when he came shooting through the door and collided with a squishy roadblock. His broom went spinning off and hit the wall opposite him and broke into several pieces.

Dean found himself on the floor, on the roadblock he'd hit. It was rather nice and warm, but seemed to be groaning in apparent discomfort. It took him a moment to figure it out that it was his best friend who'd broken his fall. Springing up, he stared at the Hufflepuff beneath him.

"Uh, sorry Cas," he muttered apologetically, getting to his feet unsteadily and extending a hand to help his friend up.

"Talk about a dramatic entrance" drawled Gabriel, and it was then Dean realised all the students from that section were staring out of their compartments at the four of them. Dean just grinned and waved while Cas subtly tried to hide behind him.

"That was awesome, Dean!" Sam was beaming back in the compartment with his brother, Gabriel and Cas. "I bet everyone's talking about it."

"It was completely reckless," Cas added scoldingly, but Dean could tell the other boy wasn't actually mad.

Gabe had an arm slung around his shoulder and was feigning tears. "My boy! I'm so proud!"

By the time the train pulled in, Sam and Cas had managed to get the broom back into more manageable piece, but Dean knew it's need a lot of work to get back in working order. He'd had a nice long nap so he'd be able to stay awake through the sorting ceremony. He didn't think sleeping through the feast would be a problem, though.

Gabe had whisked the broom away and disappeared as soon as they got off the train, promising it'd be "better than new" next time Dean saw it.

Before he joined the rest of the students on the carriages, Dean pulled his little brother close.

"No matter what you end up in," he began, green eyes locked with hazel. "Know that Dad would be proud."

Something hardened in his younger brother's expression and he pulled away. "I don't care what Dad would think."

He didn't wait for Dean to comprehend this, turning away instead and marching off to follow his fellow first years to the boats. Dean was left staring at empty space for a few moments before Cas gripped his arm and gently reminded him they needed to get going. The Gryffindor felt oddly numb, and his eyes remained focused on the ground the rest of the way to the school.

In the Great Hall, he was relieved to see Professor Singer at the Teacher's table. He gave Dean a nod of acknowledgement, but any comfort that gave him was shot down by the icy glare he was getting from the Slytherin Head. The other students were thankfully too distracted reuniting with friends to be asking him anything about his adventure earlier in the day, though he was sure most of the school knew about it by now.

He sat with Gabriel as usual, but he was hardly listening to a word the older boy was saying. The only thing on his mind was the yellow-eyed man at the station.

When the first years came in, Dean kept a watchful eye on his brother. It seemed he'd already met a few people on his way in. A young girl with curly blond hair seemed to be sticking particularly close. The older Winchester knew he had a lot of waiting to do; there were a lot for students coming in this year and alphabetical order had never been in his favour.

Among the first few were some unusual names; Unusual to Dean, anyhow. Red Ellsworth and Ruby Faustus, both sorted to Slytherin. At the mention of the latter's name, the Hall exploded into whispers. Everyone seemingly recognized the name, and Dean felt very out of the loop suddenly.

Eventually silenced, everyone turned their attention to an Andrew Gallagher, the next boy to be sorted. Hufflepuff cheered and hollered as he was sorted into their house. A while down the list, just after a Meg Masters had been sorted to Slytherin, the blond who'd been talking so emphatically with Sam was called up.

"Moore, Jessica!"

She happily bounded onto the stage and Dean would've bet money she'd be Hufflepuff. Only seconds after the sorting hat had been placed on her head however, it shouted, "Ravenclaw!"

Dean noticed Sam was grinning at her as she ran to take her seat. _How cute,_ he thought. _Sammy's first crush._

It took a while for yet another Slytherin to be sorted, a girl named Ava, and then it was finally Sam's turn. He looked more confident than most of the other first years as he stood to take his place on the stool. The hat was placed on his head, and after a few silent moments Dean was starting to think his brother would be as much of a hatstall as Cas had been.

Just as the hum of quiet murmurs started through the hall, the Sorting Hat spoke up.

"Ravenclaw!"


	6. Discussions in Private

_Hey guys, it's been a while. Back to un-beta'd, so please forgive the myriad of mistake that likely slipped my notice._

_Looks like fanfic ate my formatting on the previous chapters, so I'll probably be doing some messing around, maybe reuploading chapters._

* * *

><p>He couldn't help but feel disappointed as his brother ran off to the Ravenclaw table and sat beside Jess. He probably shouldn't have been surprised; Sam had always been sharp and proud of his mind to boot. It felt strange that his brother was in a different house, though. He's always assumed they'd be sticking together. This separation made the idea of protecting him just that much harder. How could he keep an eye on him when much of their days would be spent apart?<p>

He didn't eat much at the feast that evening, despite Gabriel's constant and enthusiastic talk of how delicious everything was – especially the wide range of desserts.

_At least it wasn't Slytherin,_ he told himself on the way up to the dorms. He hadn't got a chance to say anything to Sam yet and he figured it might be better that way. He didn't want to end up saying something he'd regret later.

He was about to walk into the common room when his stunt from earlier finally caught up with him in the form of Professor MacLeod rounding the corner.

"Dean Winchester," he shouted. "Come with me."

Dean glanced at Gabriel nervously before breaking away from the crowd and walking to meet the Professor.

"Something wrong, Prof?" Dean questioned, masking his anxiety.

"Don't get cute," Crowley hissed, turning on his heel. "Come along."

Taking a long glance back at his housemates, he trudged along in silence with Crowley. He briefly entertained the thought of where he'd go if he got expelled.

Away from the promise of the warmth and comfort of the Common Room, the Slytherin Head lead him down into the cold, stony dungeon where the Slytherins made their home. Crowley ordered him into a room partway down the corridor.

The room was decorated in all manner of lush, expensive things. A cabinet of scotch – al the same kind if Dean saw correctly – sat against a wall near the desk and a fire roared in the fireplace. Old footage of some muggle war played on a projected screen, but Crowley quickly switched it off with a flick of his wand.

The entire room seemed so out of place among the cold dark of the dungeons. The only thing that _was_ in any way fitting was the hellhound fetus floating in a jar of preservatives above the hearth. Now _that_ was something he could've gone his whole life without seeing.

"Do you have any idea how much of an idiot you are?" the Professor hissed as soon as the door was shut. "Robert could lose his job over this."

"Robert?" Dean asked, perplexed.

Crowley straightened his back and cleared his throat in a rather awkward manner. "Professor Singer. It was his broom, correct?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Exactly. Luckily, the only muggle who saw it and said anything was already stoned out of his mind so everyone assumed he was crazy. The rest were most distracted by a man who vanished."

Dean shivered at the mention of his assailant. Who had it been?

Before Crowley could continue, Professor Singer burst into the room.

"Dean, you alright?" he asked, barely acknowledging Crowley, a fact that seemed to rather offend the Slytherin Head.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, but there was this guy—"

"I saw," his Head of House cut in. "Damn lucky I had that broom in the car. That guy's bad news."

"Can we all focus on the matter at hand?" Crowley sighed, bringing out one of his many bottles of scotch. "I'm well aware expulsion is out of the question but this _moronic_ incident needs punishment."

"I'll handle it," Singer growled. "The hell'd you him all the way down here for, anyway?"

Crowley straightened up, taking a sip of his scotch. "To have a talk with him about tisk-taking. It was foolish of him to fly onto the train like that."

Dean and his Head of House shared a look.

"Right," Bobby said after a moment. "Come on, then."

Dean followed behind the Professor, leaving a sullen Crowley behind. By the time they were back in the Gryffindor tower, Dean's legs were killing him. He found he comfiest chair possible in Professor Singer's office before collapsing onto it.

"What did he say to you?" Bobby asked, also taking a seat.

"Huh?" Dean responded sleepily. "Oh, right. Yellow eyes."

He thought back to the events of that morning, still a bit confused by it all.

"Nothing really," he finally answered after a few quiet moments. "But he knew my name."

The Professor took that in calmly, like he'd already known as much.

"Who was he, anyway? It sounded like you knew something about him."

Bobby shook his head. "We don't know much, just that he's up to no good. Dark wizard, he is. Servant of the worst there's ever been."

Dean nodded slowly. "You mean that one everyone talks about all the time? The Minister's brother?"

"That's the one," the Professor confirmed. "He's been dead for years but that don't mean nothin' to the crazies who worshipped him."

Dean fell silent with a sigh. Suddenly having an Auror for a dad wasn't quite so cool.

After a long moment, the Head of Gryffindor House finally broke the silence. "In any case, Henrickson's going to want to see you."

Dean's heart jumped. "T-the Quidditch captain?!" he responded excitedly. "But I don't have a broom…"

"We'll see what we can do about that old thing of mine. It's seen worse damage."

The grin that broke out over the young wizard's face made Bobby laugh; the boy looked like he had already forgotten his frightening experience of that morning.

* * *

><p>"Geez, if I'd known a stunt like that could get you on the Quidditch team, I would've done it before I even got my wand!"<p>

Gabriel has been complaining nearly the whole morning about Dean's sudden rise to Quidditch fame. Henrickson didn't quite know where to put him; there were positions in Chaser and Beater open, plus he needed a new Seeker. Dean didn't like the idea of chasing down a tiny ball after sitting around watching for ages. He wanted in on the action from the get-go.

"What's the problem?" Dean questioned. "You're on the team already."

"But I had to try out, man," now it was edging on whining. "Do you know how stressful that was?"

Dean just rolled his eyes and stuffed another pastry in his mouth.

Across the Great Hall, he watched a group of Ravenclaws settling in around their table. He smiled when he spotted Sam among them, Jess right up alongside him. He'd never guessed his little brother would be such a lady's man.

He ditched Gabe and the food (Gabriel and breakfast were a match made in heaven after all) and half –jogged over to the Ravenclaw table.

"Hey kiddo~" he beamed, sliding in beside his brother and looping an arm around his shoulders. "How's the family brainiac doing? Got a girlfriend already, I see."

Sam flushed an impossible shade of red and Jess looked away shyly. Dean received a swift elbow to the ribs but he laughed it off.

"Good morning to you too," Sam grumbled, visibly mortified.

Dean chuckled. "How's first day treating you?"

Sam finally cracked a smile. "It's great."

"How many times have you got lost so far? On my first day I walked in on Pr—"

"Back to your own table, Winchester," Crowley barked as he walked past. "We've been over this a hundred times already."

The Slytherin Head didn't really sound like he cared at this point. It had been like pulling teeth trying to keep Gabriel and Dean from dragging Cas away to sit with the Gryffindors the previous year.

"Guess I'll catch you later, Sammy," Dean said, getting to his feet.

"It's Sam," his little brother insisted, but Dean wasn't listening.

Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.


End file.
